Flavored Pearls
by Jello Ink
Summary: *Chapter 2 added* Selphie and Irvine's relationship is over as far as she's concerned. But Irvine's jealousy isn't so easily curbed when he sees her with Zell. *Zellphie*
1. What's Your Favorite Flavor?

Disclaimer: I own not FF8, for that would be to deny my true heritage as the daughter of a labourer, so Square does. I own not Flavor of the Weak, American Hi-Fi does.  
  
Oooh lookie me, I can type on word now and leave it as .doc! It's not an empty file you piece of *&#(@*&#!!!! Heh…sorry.  
  
  
  
Selphie sat, lonely and brooding, wondering when Irvine would be back. He had said his mission would bring him back to Garden earlier that day, and she wanted him on time. She was painting her nails in 'Rosy Rapture', wishing beyond hope that this time Irvine had gone on a real mission, instead of shacking up with Quistis. That time, and of course, many other times, she had taken him back. When her nails had dried, she hopped into the shower and washed her hair. She had to look her absolute best for him. She dressed in her sexiest clothes, because Irvine loved them. They made Selphie feel a bit uncomfortable, but she was willing to appeal to his tastes once in a while. Or all the time, whenever he deigned to tell her what they were. She collected a load of washing and dumped them down the laundry shoot. His cologne wafted up from the folds of his dirty vest, taunting her with his absence.  
  
~ He could come back soon. Maybe he's just held up.~  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
1 She paints her nails, and she don't know  
  
He's got her best friend on the phone.  
  
She'll wash her hair, his dirty clothes,  
  
Are all he gives to her.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
He was the most important part of her life right now. It was hard to remember the days before being his girlfriend. Well, hard to remember the specifics. She knew she had laughed a lot. Probably smiled more. People used to come up to her and ask what was wrong, but now…they just assumed it was Irvine yet again. Well yes, it was Irvine every time, but should that stop them from asking? Or at least caring? Zell was the only one who would look at her understandingly and put an arm around her briefly. He was always careful to remove it when Irvine came around.  
  
She sighed, looking at Irvine's choice of dorm decoration. The posters made her feel so inadequate, so ugly next to Xena and the Baywatch girls, and dozens of others. Their bright faces only served to remind her of her own unhappiness. Their frozen smiles made her realize how little she found the corners of her mouth tilting upwards anymore.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
And he's got posters on the wall,  
  
Of all the girls he wished she was,  
  
And he means everything to her...  
  
Her boyfriend, he don't know,  
  
Anything about her  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
Nintendo,  
  
I wish that I could make her see,  
  
She's just the flavor of the weak  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Zell watched Selphie, unseen, through the small crack of light where the door of Irvine's dorm ran shy of the floor. He knew she was waiting to surprise Irvine. It was his birthday today, and Selphie had taken advantage of living with him to plan a nice evening for them. Zell knew she would wait a long time before finally changing into her pajamas and going to bed in defeat. Irvine was on his 'mission', getting wasted in a bar with Quistis somewhere in Deling. Zell was willing to bet they were on their fourth round, Quistis in his lap, as his thoughtful girlfriend waited in vain. Zell wanted to go in and tell her what he knew, hold her while he could, run her hair through his fingers while the opportunity was there. Irvine was, (insanely enough, for he ran around behind Selphie's back so much), jealous of anyone within ten feet of her. He wanted to plead with him to release her, or with her to release herself.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
It's Friday night and she's all alone,  
  
He's a million miles away.  
  
She's dressed to kill but the TV's on,  
  
He's connected to the sound  
  
And he's got pictures on the wall,  
  
Of all the girls he's loved before,  
  
And she knows all his favorite songs.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Selphie watched the 11 o'clock news; all hope dwindled to a faint point.  
  
~He's not coming…~  
  
She put on his favorite CD, as if to lure him back to her through his most favored music. It was ridiculous, of course, he was either far away or in the room next door that was blaring Gun42 at three hundred decibels.  
  
Didn't he care? Didn't anybody care? Where was Zell now that she really needed someone to lean on?  
  
~Maybe he's with Irvy, doing whatever Irvy is…~  
  
She raked a hand through her hair, mussing its perfect style. She looked longingly at the door. Why wasn't she brave enough to walk through? Leave Irvine and his cheating behind forever? She knew the answer. She was afraid to be lonely.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Her boyfriend,  
  
He don't know,  
  
Anything about her,  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
Nintendo,  
  
I wish that I could make her see,  
  
She's just the flavor of the weak.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Zell heard Selphie heave a sigh on the other side of the door. Hyne, he wanted her to throw off Irvine like a bad habit. And he wanted himself to be the first thing she saw when she did.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Her boyfriend,  
  
He don't know,  
  
Anything about her,  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
He's too stoned…  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Selphie kicked herself mentally. When had she become so afraid of change?  
  
~ Another Irvine legacy, "Selphie, Selphie, why change? Things are good as they are." Too bad, Irvy! I CAN change! I WILL! ~  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Her boyfriend,  
  
He don't know,  
  
Anything about her  
  
He's too stoned,  
  
Nintendo…  
  
~*~  
  
Zell looked under the door one last time before rising. He stared at the white finish, debating whether or not to knock. He decided to leave her to herself. He wondered idly how many times he'd stood in this very spot, thinking the same thoughts, staring at Irvine's door. He had lurked here more than once yes, but had been too ashamed of his own espionage to consider knocking.  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
I wish that I could make her see,  
  
She's just the flavor of the weak…  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
That's it! I'm out of here! Irvy can find himself another girl's feelings to mess with while he goes off with his whores and his drinking buddies.  
  
She giggled to herself and thought wickedly, ~I wonder if Zell's available…~  
  
"Tee hee…"  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
Yeah, she's the flavor of the weak.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Zell froze on the spot as the door opened, revealing Selphie holding a box of the belongings she had at Irvine's dorm. She blinked a few times at the sight of Zell before recovering, her pretty mouth curving into a grin.  
  
"Hiya Zelly! Wanna help me move my stuff back to my old dorm?" Zell looked at her questioningly, then grinned as realization hit him.  
  
"Without question, Sefie, without question."  
  
  
  
~*~  
  
2 She makes me weak…  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: Ahhhhh! A Zellphie! How the hell did that happen, I don't even LIKE this pairing!? Oh well, this song sooo suits Selphie and Zell. Should I write more songfics? Like a songfic book? Hmm maybe I should leave well enough alone… 


	2. Pearls Come At An Expense

Disclaimer: I own nothing! I swear! Square owns all! Oh, and Savage Garden (they broke up! waaaahhhh) owns the song used, Tears of Pearls.  
A/N: Why am I continuing this? Damned if I know, but I have two major projects I'm working on and this isn't one of them *snicker*. What can I say, I write differently. Thankies to everyone who reviewed last time!  
  
  
  
  
  
Zell and Selphie had just taken all of Selphie's stuff back to her vacated dorm. For the first time in a long time, Selphie felt free. She smiled a secret little smile at Zell as she rounded the corner with him. Maybe this was her chance to start anew. Zell liked her, she could tell. Maybe he was the love she had been looking for in Irvine for so long.  
  
Zell glanced longingly at Selphie, who appeared lost in her own little world. He wasn't sure where exactly they were going, but he hoped it was somewhere where he could tell her how he felt in private. He looked at his watch; it was three in the morning already.  
  
They were just rounding another corner when suddenly Selphie took his hand. She glanced at him wistfully for a moment before she cast her eyes to the ground, blushing. Zell grinned. He realized that Selphie was asking for a chance. What she didn't know was that he was about to ask her the same, but verbally.   
  
Zell steered her toward the Secret Area that wasn't really so secret. He gazed into her eyes and was lost for a moment, but when he finally tore himself from the green pools, his vision steadied in a hurry.   
  
Standing in front of him was Irvine.  
  
Selphie was trying to look calm and a touch bored, as she had seen Quistis do a number of times. She only managed to etch worry into her features, not so much for Irvine finding out, but for the argument that was sure to ensue. One would think that by dating half of Garden whilst involved with someone, one would give up all hold on that someone as one's girlfriend. Apparently, the glass through which Irvine viewed the world was a little skewed. She met his eyes and gave him her best cool look.  
  
  
~*~  
And we stare each other down   
  
Like victims in the grind,  
  
Probing all the weaknesses and hurts still left behind  
  
And we cry,  
  
The tears of pearls  
  
We do it. Oh we do it.  
~*~  
  
  
"Fancy meeting you here, Selphie." Irvine's voice cut through the silence like a velvet knife, beautiful and rich, but deadly if used correctly. "So late. With Zell. Holding his hand." The tone darkened to a deep black sarcasm.  
  
"I'm surprised you're here already. Did Quistis pass out so soon?" She mentally tacked one on to her score when she saw his eyes widen slightly. He looked vaguely hurt. If he hadn't betrayed her so many times, she might even have felt sympathy for him.  
  
  
~*~  
Is love really the tragedy, the way you might describe?  
  
Or would a thousand lovers,  
  
Still leave you cold inside?  
  
Make you cry...  
  
These tears of pearls.  
~*~  
  
  
"That's none of your business."  
  
"No, I suppose it isn't, anymore." She glanced at Zell fondly and raised an eyebrow at Irvine, a dare written on her face.  
  
"Selphie...you can't do this. I love you. You know that." She could see the half-truth of the statement in his face. Zell looked as though he had just sucked on several lemons.  
  
"Well, Irvine, I loved you too. I honestly did. Loved. Did. Past tense, you know how it is."  
  
  
~*~  
All these mixed emotions  
  
We keep locked away like   
  
Stolen pearls.  
  
Stolen pearl devotions we  
  
Keep locked away from all the world  
~*~  
  
  
"Selphie he can't make you half as happy as I could..."  
  
"Couldn't I?" interrupted Zell, anger tracing lines in his expression, "And I suppose you've been doing such a bang up job lately that you drove her away?"  
  
"If you know what's good for you Zell..." Irvine growled before Selphie stepped in.  
  
"Irvine, you didn't appreciate me when you had me, why make an issue of it now?"  
  
  
~*~  
Your kisses are like pearls  
  
So different and so rare  
  
But anger stole the jewels away  
  
And love has left you bare  
  
Made you cry...  
  
These tears of pearls.  
~*~  
  
  
"Selphie...I could pretend that I've been the perfect boyfriend, but we all know that isn't true. I could sit here and spin a million pretty stories to excuse myself. I could tell you about how drunk I was, or how much her fault it is, but I wasn't and it isn't. I want to be better than this, Selphie. I want to show you how much better I can be before it's too late." Selphie looked at him seriously with tears in her eyes.  
  
"It already is."  
  
  
~*~  
Well I could be the tired joker,  
  
Pour my heart to get you in,  
  
Sacrifice my happiness  
  
Just so I could win  
  
Maybe cry...  
  
These tears of pearls.  
~*~  
  
  
"Look man," Zell interjected, "You can't just treat people that way and expect them to forgive you instantly."  
  
"What you did hurt, Irvine, and although I can forgive you, it's too late for us. I wish that it could have been another way..." She paused to gaze at Zell thoughtfully. "Or maybe I don't."  
  
  
~*~  
All these mixed emotions   
  
We keep locked away like  
  
Stolen pearls.  
  
Stolen pearl devotions we  
  
Keep locked away from all the world  
~*~  
  
  
"I...I love you Selphie...but...I love Quistis too. And it's so confusing when you don't know who's right for you..."  
  
"Maybe that's your problem, Irvine. You love too much. Oh, it's not a bad thing. Just focus your love on one person, on Quistis, devote yourself to her. Don't lead others on when it's something else you desire."  
  
Irvine looked at Selphie searchingly before he realized she was right. He couldn't hang on to his friends this way while trying to love another. Selphie was a sister to him, nothing more, and he had foolishly tried to keep her close to him by being her boyfriend. It wasn't fair to any of the parties involved.  
  
  
~*~  
We twist and turn where angels burn  
  
Like fallen soldiers we will learn  
  
That once forgotten, twice removed,  
  
Love will be the death...  
  
The death of you.  
~*~  
  
  
Selphie hugged Irvine, and patted him on the back reassuringly.  
  
"No hard feelings, Irvy." Her sad smile stretched into a grin as she took Zell's hand in hers again, tightening her hold. Zell smacked Irvine's shoulder in a friendly gesture before he and Selphie passed Irvine on their way to the Secret Area. Selphie glanced back and smiled at him before they disappeared around a corner.  
  
"No hard feelings..." He whispered to himself before his features spread into a happy smile.  
  
He rounded the next corner with a new, purposeful stride in his step. He needed to find Quistis.  
  
  
~*~  
All these mixed emotions   
  
We keep locked away like  
  
Stolen pearls.  
  
Stolen pearl devotions we   
  
Keep locked away from all the world  
~*~ 


End file.
